


where we don't have to hide

by helsinkibaby



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: cottoncandy_bingo, F/M, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 18:04:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2860028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the crew await the Borg attack, Geordi and Tasha come to a decision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	where we don't have to hide

**Author's Note:**

> For the "where we don't have to hide" square on my bingo card.

"Penny for your thoughts."

Geordi's quiet words made Tasha blink and she shifted slightly, lifting her head from his chest so that she could look up at him. He was looking down at her, more out of respect for her than any other reason, seeing as his VISOR was lying on the bedside table, and his brow was creased in a frown. "I was looking at the nebula," Tasha told him. "Thinking how pretty it looks." It was mostly the truth, even if the security chief of the Enterprise wasn't supposed to be having thoughts like that. She figured she was safe enough here though; it was Geordi she was talking to, she knew he'd never tell. 

"Mmm-hmm." Geordi didn't sound like he was buying it for a second. He was silent for a moment, like he was giving her a chance to say something else. When she didn't, he prompted her with, "And?" 

Tasha sighed, closing her eyes and concentrating on the feel of his fingers moving through her hair. "And about what's going to happen when we can't hide in it anymore. What's waiting for us out there." The image of the Borg cube danced through her mind and she couldn't help the shudder that ran the length of her body. "I try not to think about it..."

"But it's all any of us can think about," Geordi finished with a sigh. Tasha bit her lip, hearing the frustration in his voice, the frustration that she'd been hearing ever since they'd been trying to come up with weapons to defeat the Borg. Geordi had been practically living in engineering, and as security chief, she'd been spending quite a bit of time there too. The mood there, one of frustration mixed with fear, was the same all over the ship and she knew that as Chief Engineer, Geordi was beating himself up over all the things that he couldn't do. 

"You'll find something," she told him, not for the first time. 

Another sigh was her answer. "I hope so." He didn't sound convinced and Tasha propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at him. 

"I was also thinking..." she began, then paused, wondering if this was the best time for this conversation. Then again, she reflected, there might not be any other time to have it, so she marshalled all her courage and continued. "When we get out of this... when we don't have to hide in this nebula any more... what if... what if we didn't have to hide any more?"

Geordi frowned, eyes narrowing, but not before Tasha saw them flaring wide in what looked very much like surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly, and she knew that tone. It was the one he used when he understood exactly what was being said and he just wanted to check that he had it right. She understood why he was using that tone, asking her that question, because this was something that he had always left up to her, something he'd always followed her lead on. 

"I mean... what happens if we go to Captain Picard... tell him about us." Something occurred to her then and she chuckled ruefully. "That is, if he doesn't already know. I'm fairly sure half the crew do..."

An answering chuckle from Geordi confirmed her suspicions. "Only half?" was all he said. 

"Exactly." Tasha ran a hand up Geordi's chest, cupped his cheek. "I know you've wanted to do that for a while now... talk to the Captain, I mean..."

"And I know you haven't been ready," Geordi pointed out. "And I know why. Are you sure..."

"Yes." Tasha didn't need to let him finish that sentence. "And it's not to do with the Borg... well, not really. But there have been so many times this year alone that something's nearly happened to one of us... I don't want to hide any more, Geordi... life's too short."

Geordi's fingers moved over her skin, across her cheeks, her forehead, her lips and she held still, letting him touch her. Without his VISOR, this was his way of seeing her, of knowing the truth of her words. She knew the moment he was sure of her because a grin spread across his face and he was smiling at her like she was the greatest thing he'd ever seen in his life. 

Smiling back, she leaned down to press her lips to his, but just as they were about to make contact, the ship lurched around them, alarms blaring instantly. Years of training had Tasha sitting up right away, reaching for Geordi's VISOR and handing it to him as he said, "I suppose it's too much to hope the earth moved for us?" She gave him a tight grin, one that grew tighter as he slipped the VISOR into place and she heard that familiar hiss of pain that he hid from everyone but her. 

"Be safe up there," he told her, kissing her quickly as they headed for the door. 

"You too," she told him, fighting the impulse to throw a glance over her shoulder at him as they headed off in two different directions. 

It was time to go to work. 


End file.
